Safety-guard for automobiles



l. WILHELM. SAFETY GUARD FOR AUTOMOB|L ES. Y APPLICATION msu un. 1. 192|. 1,378,988. Patented May 24, 1921;

` 3 sums-suur l.

A mm J. WILHELM. SAFETY GUARD FORAUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED MAH. 7. 1921.

` J. WILHELM.

' SAFETYGUARD FOR AUTOMOBILES.

UNITED sTATEs JOHN WILHELM, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SAFETY-GUARD Fon AUTOMOBILES.

niippiiamm inea March' 7, '1921. i seriai No. 450,32.`

To all whom t may' concern-f Be it known that I, JOHN VILHnLisi, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Guards for Automobiles, of which the following isa specification.

My invention has relation to iniprovements in safety guards 'for automobiles which consists inan attachment to be applied to the fore part of the automobile iframe for the purpose of preventing pedestrians from being run over by the automobile when it is otherwise impossible to avoid tlieirbeing struck, and the attachment consists in the novel ydetails of Vconstruction moiefully set forth in the specification and pointed out in the claims. Theobject of my :invention is to provide a safety guard that may be applied to the forwardly pro jecting frame members of an automobile, and when so applied shall normally serve the purpose of a bumper, Aa foldable apron being combined therewith which may be lreleased when necessary to*l forma barrier in front ofthe automobile wheels. for the purpose of picking up a pedestrian that may be run down.A A further object is to provide a safety guard that may be compacted within comparatively narrow limits when notv in use; one that bevinstantl-y released when the emergeiicydarises;` one that may be sufficiently strong to pick up a large .person; one that may Vpossess sufiicient'elasticity to permit ofvits. being released on an uneven road; and one possessing y'further and other advantages better apparent from a detailed description of the'invention Vin connection with vthe accompanying drawingsin'wliichl I Figure '1 is aplan view of the safety guard applied vto an automobile, the outline of tliefautom'obile being shown dotted; Fig. 9 is a front elevationv of,theguard'k inA released position, parts being broken away; Fig. Sis a side elevation of the same in releasedV position;Fig. t" is a plan view of. a

portion ofthe bottom apron vof the guard;

Fig. 5.is Venlarged view of` one of the supporting posts .or standards for y the aprons; Fig. (iisV aI side elevation of the aprons in foldedposition; Fig. .7. is an envlarged view of .theouter hinge portionof' .the standard extension for supporting'the bottom apron; Fig. 8 is an enlarged'view of the inner hinge portion of the standard extension;rF ig. 9 is afvertical transverse section taken on the line 9-f9 of Fig. 3; Fig. 10 is a horizontal cross section on the line 10-10 of F ig. 9; Fig. 11 `is a vertical cross section'on the line 1'1-11 of Fig. 9; Fig. 12 is a vertical crosssectioii on the line PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Y Patented lyay 24, 1921.

12-'12 ofFigrQ; Fig. 13 is a vertical cross i 2 on whichl are mounted supportingplates V3, 4 maintained in spaced apart relation by l the bosses 55 cfa pair ofU-shapedbrackets V6, 6 mounted ontlie studs 2 land being se- Vcurely fixed thereto byQset-screws'?.y The brackets 6 have bent from their outer legs spring retaining fingers'S which arefadapted to support a suitablefcasing orf cover 9,

through the agency of buffersprings 10 slid- Iably retained' in straps 11, lll'securedto the cover 9. The lsprings #10 are adapted to-be slipped behind" the fingers @aand are pre-y vented from slipping .out of the. straps 11` by suitable stop pins 12 .in the .extremities of the spring A10. The cover9, in addition to concealing the .mechanism .of ythe safety guard to be hereinafter described, serves the purpose of aibumper, for should said cover strike another objectthe buffer springs 10 will yield to the impactv and, thus absorb the Shock.; l i. r The 'safety l guard mechanism comprises a vertically disposed apron, 13 and a-.horizontally disposed apron 14; v(that is said aprons "willlbe so disposed wlienthe' vguard is in opv era'tifve' position), and a pairnof posts or standards 15 for supporting the" vertical apron, leach of said" standards 15 having'an eXtensioiiar'm 16 liiiigedtliereto adapte-d to receive 'and support,tlieliorizontal apron 14. The lvertical apron 13 is composed of a series ytongsjdevices composedi of links c, 0,;'etc'.

The upper links c, c, arepivotally connected to the supporting plate, V3, Wand the lower ulinks c, c, yarepivotally connected tothe 4of, bars a, "a, a, said barsbeing pivotally i Y connected vatl points' Z9, b, 5,'to a pair of lazyiio bottom bar a of the apron 13. The horizontal apron 14 is composed of tlireeunits 14, 14, 14, each unit consisting` of two bars ci, d, and spacing blocks 6,6, the unit adjacent the vertical apron 13 being hinged to the bottom bar a thereof, and the other units being hinged to each other at points h, h. Extending across each hinge t, it are springs s iXed to the under side of the apron units, said springs s. operating .to impose tension on the units so that `they will assume their extended position when released. Suitable rubber pads f are fixed to each of the units 14 as shown (Fig. 4) which pads will come into engagementwlieii the apron 14 is collapsed (Fig.` 6) the pads operating to take up the play between the units and prevent the parts from rattling when the automobile is in motion.`

The standards 15 are traversed by eXtension posts 15 in telescopic relation therewith, eachl standard 15 being provided with a longitudinally disposed slot i `in the iront wall of the standard, the sl-ot c' making a tturn of ninety degrees around said wall near the upper end thereof, forming an offset slot 7l on the inside wall of each standard.` The slot z' is traversed by a pin projecting 'from each extension post 15, and when the post 15 is slid upwardly within the standard 15, the pin j `will travel through the slott', the post 15 making a quarter turn inwardlyas the pin 7' passes through theoii'set slot i,]at which time'the post 15 will be Completely telescoped within the standard 15. The post 15 carries` a swiveled roller or ycaster 17 on its outer end, and has ar hinge bracket 18 secured to ita short. distance from said end, to which bracket is hinged vthe inner vmember 7c of the extension :arm

`1,6, the member 7c of said arm being hinged at Vm to the member 7a lSecured to the end of member 7c adjacent the hinge m is a coiled spring 19, said spring traversing a. tube 2O secured to the under side yof the member 7c, the spring 19 also being `secured to the finember cadjacentthe hinge 18..:,A Hat spring 21 is secured tothe upperlside ot' member adjacent the hinge 18, andwhen themembeisV 71: and Zi oit the extension arm 16 are 'tolded'togetheig the/spring `2,1 will operate to prevent vib 'ation'ot said meinbei's,said spring also assisting in unfolding the member-Ze ot the extension arm Vwhen `said arm is released (to be hereinafter eX- plained) the tension of the coiled spring 19 completing the unfolding operation ofthe member 7c whereupon the extension arm assumes its unfolded position shown 4in Fig. 3. A swiveled caster 22 ismounted on the outer end of the tubing 20, said ycaster'coming in contact with the road when` the ,arm 16 is-in its operativeposition.

j When it is desired to fold up the aprons 13, 14 and the standard 15 with its extension arm 1G for an inoperative position of the `saiety guard, the 'units 14 of the apron 14 the upwardly projecting Vfinger 25 of the clip 23. The extended apron 13 with the folded apron 14 bound to it may now be'contracted by swinging rearwardly a lever4 2G pivoted beneath the footboard D of the automobile,

a detachable operating lever 27 being provided for `this purpose. The end of the lever 26 has secured to it a pair of cords 28,said cords passing over a horizontally disposed pulley 29 whence one of the cords traverses a pulley 30, the other extending to a pul-V jley 31,'both cords then descending to the bar d of the apron 13 to which they are Y secured, It is thus seen that the apron 13 may beV drawn upwardly to its contracted position by merely swinging Vrearwardly `the lever 26, at which time the aprons 13 and 14 are in the position shown in 6 and Fig. 11. Since the cords 28 do not operate to retain the aprons in theirraised or normal position, other means must be provided'foivthis purpose, saidrmeans consisting in apair of lspringlatches 32, Y

each being hinged on the rear face of the supporting plate An extension linger 33 is fixed to the'latch 32 and extends upwardly beyondthe hinge point 34 of the latch, said extension linger terminating in` a hook 35, and the lower end of the latch terminating in aloop 36 having a camfsurface 36. The lower bar a oithel apron 13 is provided with lug 37 extending rearwardly and in line with the latch 32, Vand when the apron 13 is raisedthe lug will engage the cam surface36 of the latch, forcing said latch outwardly, overcoming the tension of'spring 38 ntil 'the lug 37 is lodged behind the loop 36 whereupon the spring 38 'will snap the latch forwardly, whereupon the lug37 will. be engaged, thus holding the apron 13 inv its raised position. u

f `Assuming that the aprons 13 and 14 have been raised the next operation is to place thestandards 15 and extension arm 16 in their. normal positions, this being done as ollows The member 7c of each extension .arm 16 is folded 'over the member 7c, the latter then being folded upwardly against the extension post 15" (as'shown dotted Figo) i whereupon the extension post'15 is telef scoped withinthestandard 15 as above described, the arm lf3-being held against the standard `15 by meansof a finger 39 secured to standard 15, said finger entering between the members 7c, lo as post turned 30 Y projectingl downward-ly on the side of extension fingers v33 farthest Vfrom the plate 3,

inwardly by the passage of the pin j through the offset slot if (Figs. 9 and 14)". Each standard 15 is now swunginwardly about its stud 40 toa substantially horizontal position behind'the supporting plate 3 (Fig. 9) whereupon the outer end of the. ost 15 will pass between the flaring extremities 41 of av la connecting link 48 isslidably coupled, the

connecting link 48 extending rearwardlyV beneath the'footboard D-Where itis connected tothe lower end of anoperating Vlever 49` having a fulcrum 50. Loo'sely mounted on the shaft 44 above theV spring aws42, 42', is a depending finger 51 extending through an eye 52 projecting from theY spring jaw 42,

and a U-shaped yoke 53 is fixed tothe shaft 44, said yoke being positioned on the side of` 'the finger 51 nearest the plate 3. -The shaft 44 is provided with terminal crank arms 54 said crank arms operating tofengage the fingers 33 Vwith a movement toward the Plate 3. i

Should a pedestrian step in front of the automobile, the operator may instantlyrelease his safety guard by first throwing his operating lever 49 forwardly, whereupon the connecting link 48 will be drawn toward the rear and the rock shaft 44 rocked so as to cause the yoke 53 to swing the finger 51 to the dotted position (Fig. 13) thus opening the spring jaws 42, 42', whereupon the standard 15 will fall under the force of gravity, the extension post 15 slipping downwardly within the standard and making a quarter turn forwardly, the extension arm 16 being disengaged from the finger 39, the members and In thereof being thrown to their open or extended position under the influence of springs 21 and 19. Having thrown the 0perating lever 49 forwardly, the operator immediately throws the same backwardly (the lever 49 being shown full in its neutral position in Fig. 16, and the dotted lines indieating the limits of its forward and rearward operating positions)` whereupon thek connecting link 48 will be pushed Vforward and the rock shaft 44 oscillated so as tov extended position (shown in Fig. 2) andthe units 14 of the apron 14 will open up under the influence of thesprings s. The standards 15 together with their posts 15"and extension arms 16 having been released before Vthe aprons, the extension arms 16 will be in position to receive the apron 14 after the lati-y ter has beenreleased. The safety guard is now in its operative position (Fig. 3) to pick up any pedestrian who might be unable to get out of the path of the vehicle before the same can be brought to a stop.

In order to brace the standards 15 while in their yoperative positions I have-provided a housing. 55 wherein the extremity of the standard 15 ispositioned,-said housing 55 being provided with an extension 57 haying outwardly flaring resilient walls 58 for receiving the standard 15 after the'same has been released. f Y v From the foregoing it will readilyiappear that my improved safety guard may be instantly released to save a pedestrian from be-k ing run down, said guard only being released l in an emergency, at all other times'being compactly folded within comparatively nar-V row limits, duringwhich times it may serve the purposev of the ordinary bumper..4 Obviously the invention is susceptible to modr fications, and I dol notv wish to be restricted .to the specific construction herein illustrated.

Having described my Vinvention I claim: 1. In combination with "anv automobile frame, 'a safety guard supported on Lthe `front of said frame, saidguard comprising a supporting plate, an extensible apron consisting of a vertical and horizontal section, said vertical section being suspended from the plate and the horizontal section being hinged to the vertical section, `the vertical section being composed of a series of bars pivotally connected to lazy-tongs devices, and the horizontal section being composed of a series of grid units hinged together,

and means for supporting the apron sections 1n their extended positions.

2. In combination with an automobile Y released.

3. v In combination with an automobile frame, a safety guard supported on the front' of said frame, said guard comprising a supporting plate, an extensible apron secured thereto, said apron being composed of a vertical and a horizontal section, said sections being folded adjacent the plate for a normal position, means :for holding the apron `sections in their normal position, means for releasing the aprons from` said holding means permitting the vertical section to as sume its extended position under the vforce of gravity, means for causing the horizontal section to assume its extended position on being released, means for supporting the apron in its extended position, said lastmentioned means being foldable alongside the supporting plate When the apron is in its normal'position, and means for releasing the apron supporting means.

4.I.In combination With an automobile ltrahie, a safety guard 'supported on the front of said frame, said guard comprising a supporting plate, an extensible apron secured thereto, said apron having a vertical and a horizontal section, a supporting standard pivoted to the frame, said standard being disposed When in operative position to the rear of the vertical apron section, the free end of the standard terminating in a roller and having a hinged extension arm connected to said free end above the roller, and roller bearings on the extension arm for engagement with the road.

5. In combination with anr automobile frame and a safety guard mounted thereon, said safety guard being provided With an extensible apron, a supporting standard Afor the apron having a telescopic extension inserted therein, and means for causing the extension to move angularly about the standard when said standard and extension are manipulated to full telescoped position.

6. In combination with an, automobile member adapted to engage the road for operative position, a jointed,V supporting arm hinged to the extensiblemember, means for retaining saidarm andstandard out of engagement With-.the road for inoperative position, and meansfor releasing the arm and standard to operative position.

7. In combination WithV an `automobile frame, a safety guard mounted thereon, said vguard comprising a supporting plate, a foldable apron composed of two sections suspended from `the plate, a pairof spring brackets ,adapted to maintain the lower apron section in `folded position, a spring latch adapted tomaintainthe upper apron section in'folded position, a pair lof telescoping standardspivotally secured to the supporting plate, said standards having fold-V able extension armshinged near their free ends, theextensions being lfolded against the standards, and the `standards being swung to a positionalongside the supporting plate for a normalposition, retaining springsfor holding the standards and ex tensions is such position, meansfor releas ing the standardswhereupon .they-.will fall under influence of gravityto operativeposition, means Vfor1 causing theV extensions' to unfoldV simultaneously `With the movement of the standards, and means for releasing the apron permitting it to unfold` and fall upon the aforesaid standards and extensions.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiix my signature.

JOHN WILHELM. y 

